Prosecutor Emma Lenanton said that when officers went to the scene at 1.20am there were visible marks on the road and they saw a Peugeot vehicle stationary on the offside with the defendant in the driver’s seat.

“He was using his mobile phone having a conversation with someone and when he was taken to the police vehicle he acknowledged he was in the vehicle at the time of the collision but said a friend had been driving,” she said.

“The police conducted a roadside breath test which Cullen failed, but he then said he had drunk a can of Stella within five minutes of the collision.”

At the police station he blew a reading of 55mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath when the legal limit is 35mcg of alcohol.

Further checks revealed Cullen only held a provisional driving licence and was also not insured, and during interview he then admitted being the driver saying he had drunk various amounts of alcohol throughout the day leading up to the offence.

When the magistrates asked why he had done it he replied: “It was just stupid.”

He was given a 14 month ban and fined £250 for drink driving and a further £250 for the insurance offence. No separate penalty was made for no licence but costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge were also imposed.

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